Expandable dish drain

ABSTRACT

An expandable dish drain contains a drawer-like tray within at the bottom of the dish drain. Water from dishes on the dish drain, drains through frontal slots in the downwardly slanted floor into the tray. If additional dish space is required, the tray is drawn outwards, acting as an extended dish drain and a drainage board. In this position water drains through the same frontal slots and collects in the tray. The floor slots in the dish drain permit water drainage only into the tray whether the tray is in its outward or withdrawn position. The tray is a downwardly slanted floor with respect to the horizontal such that in this position the outward side of the tray has walls on three sides to keep water within, the other side has a slot so that if the tray is reversed water may drain by gravity into a sink. The spaced-apart ridges on the tray keep dishes above the collected water on the bottom of the surface of the tray. The tray is removable to expel water in the “walled” position. Plate holders, which are removable, lie down in package form until they are rotated and held vertical by side nipples.

BACK GROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Where kitchen space is at a premium it is desirable to have a dish Drain that occupies as little space as possible yet embodies all the necessary requirements of a dish Drain.

2. The Prior Art.

In domestic kitchens, it is common to use a dish drain adjacent to the kitchen sink for the collection of wet dishes subsequent to the manual washing of the dishes in the sink. Typically the dishes are rinsed and placed in specialized compartments in the Drain, still wet. A series of apertures and through slots extend through the bottom of the Drain's compartment, through which water from the dishes is drained off by gravity.

A mat or tray, composed either of rubber or plastic, is generally sold with the Drain, for intended use with the Drain. The tray in use is positioned beneath the Drain and includes a central platform area, bounded by raised sidewalls on which the Drain is supported. The drainage water from the Drained dishes collects in the platform area, out of contact with the dishes, whereby accelerating their drying. Some trays in common use, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,641 and D353,921 provide an outlet lip at one end of the platform area, which is draped over the sink. Other trays merely collect the water in the platform area, for eventual disposition by way of evaporation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,184 uses a drain board for packaging and use as a storage container lid.

While the above products are well accepted in the trade and have met with commercial success, several shortcomings prevent existing Drain and tray sets from satisfying some of the consumer needs.

In general, where kitchen space is a premium, for example in the crowded apartments in large cities such as New York City, an even more compact feature of the dish Drain would be desirable. As such, a separate mat or tray, to collect the water coming off the dishes, is omitted in this invention because the Expandable Dish Drain includes a bottom drawer with apertures and through slots acts as a drain as well as another dish Drain capable of holding dishes upright by itself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the above shortcomings in state of the art dish drain and tray sets. This invention has a “shelf” or “drawer” underneath the main Drain that extends outwards and thus acts as both an additional dish Drain, with apertures and through slots, capable of holding dishes upright by itself as well as a drain. For example with only one or two apartment occupants, the shelf, or drawer, need not be extended outward because the space needs can generally be met by just the top dish Drain draining into the bottom drawer drain. The water from the few dishes, cups, silverware, etc. would drain by gravity onto the bottom dish Drain and evaporate. Should more occupants require the use of more dish Drain space, the bottom drawer would be pulled out acting as another dish Drain with apertures and through slots capable of holding dishes upright as well as a water-collecting drain. The occupants have the option of allowing an instant water drain by merely reversing the drawer, since the opposite side of the drawer, which is removable, has a slot which allows unobstructed flow of water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1—In this view the tray partially protrudes from the dish drain. When more space is required the tray, resting on side runners (C) extending along the bottom of the drain, slides outwards of the drain (A). The tray is removable and reversible such that, when reversed the wall opposite the forward slot, serves to hold in water intended to be evaporated. A removable silverware container is on a removable rod (D). The drain and the tray have dish holders (E) to hold upright dishes, cups. The drain and the tray floors are slightly tilted with respect to the horizontal to drain water by gravity. Since the tray extends outwards from the drain even when fully withdrawn, water from the drain will always drain into the tray below.

FIG. 2—The tray (B) has walls on three sides and one open end. Inside the Drain the tray is tilted downwards at an angle to the horizontal such that water is retained for evaporation at the walled side. With reversing the tray so that the open end is facing the sink, water is conducted directly into the sink. The tray has removable struts and ribs to hold dishes and cups upright.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1—The tray (B) is partially inserted into the dish Drain (A). The tray, which is reversible, is held under the drain by means of runners (C) beneath the drain. Both the tray and the above drain and are angled with respect to the horizontal to allow water to run off. A removable silverware basket (not shown) would be attached to rod (D). Members (E) are the struts, ribs, used to stack plates in the normal upright manner of the dish drain. These members are held upright by side nipples. The tray has “lay down” struts, or ribs and serves as a drain to collect water from the stacked dishes. When the need arises the hold more dishes and cups to drain, then the tray is pulled outward from the drain.

FIG. 2—The side of the tray (B) without the wall allows water to drain off into a sink. Since the tray is tilted slightly the side of the tray with the wall (F) holds water for evaporation. Side nipples (G) hold the plate holders upright.

While the above describes the preferred embodiment, the invention so described is not to be so restricted. Other embodiments which utilize the teachings herein set forth are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the subject invention. 

1. A dish drain for holding a plurality of dishes, said dish drain comprising a first frame and a second frame movable interfitted to said first frame, at least one of said first or second frames having a floor surface and a plurality of removable apertures formed therein, said apertures being aligned in spaced apart pairs, and a plurality of separators adapted to interfit into at least a pair of said apertures so as to extend upwardly from said at least one of said first or second frames to provide support for dishes in said dish drain.
 2. A dish drain as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one frame is a removable, reversible tray tilted downwards with respect to the horizontal, which rests on side runners, having sides and a front and a back with at least one wall removed or slotted such that with a wall downwards, holds water, and when reversed such that a wall removed or slots is on the downward direction of the tilt, allows the issuance of water therefrom.
 3. A dish drain as defined in claim 1 wherein said first frame and said second frames both have tilted floor surfaces having removable apertures formed therein and slidingly interfit together.
 4. A dish drain as defined in claim 1 wherein said plurality of removable separators comprise separators that are generally straight in configuration.
 5. A dish drain as defined in claim 1 wherein said plurality of separators comprise inverted U-shaped separators, each having a pair of ends and said pair of ends are adapted to be inserted into a pair of said apertures formed in the upper surface of at least of one of said first frame or said second frame.
 6. A dish drain as defined in claim 2 wherein said plurality of separators comprise removable inverted U-shaped separators, each having a pair of ends and said pair of ends are adapted to be inserted into a pair of said apertures formed in the upper surface of said first and second frame members.
 7. A dish drain as defined in claim 2 wherein there are a plurality of channels below pairs of aligned apertures in both said first and second frames to facilitate water runoff and hold such implements as dishes, glasses, cups on top of the channels.
 8. A dish drain as defined in claim 1 wherein said first frame and said second frame are telescopingly interfitted together with abutments such as to prevent inadvertent separation.
 9. A dish drain as defined in claim 8 wherein said first frame has a pair of external generally horizontal first frame members forming a first internal channel therebetween and the second frame member has a pair of external second frame members that are slidingly received in said first internal channel.
 10. A dish drain as defined in claim 9 wherein said plurality of separators comprise U-shaped metal separators and said pair of external second frame members form a second internal channel that is dimensioned to receive and retain said separators for storage of said separators.
 11. A dish drain as defined in claim 9 wherein said plurality of separators comprise straight separators and a pair of spaced apart lateral flanges extend between said pair of external second frame members, said spaced apart lateral flanges being spaced apart a predetermined dimension to receive and retain said straight separators for storage of said separators.
 12. A dish drain as defined in claim 11 wherein said spaced apart lateral flanges comprise L-shaped flanges having a lower planar surface facing each other and said straight separators are received and retained on said lower planar surfaces.
 13. A dish drain as defined in claim 1 wherein said first frame and said second frame are enameled metal construction and or plastic.
 14. A dish drain as defined in claim 1 wherein said first frame and said second frame are metal, wooden, plastic or a combination thereto of frames.
 15. A method of retaining a plurality of dishes in an upright position, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first frame with an upper surface having a plurality of apertures formed in said upper surface, providing a second frame with an upper surface having a plurality of apertures formed in said upper surface, slidably affixing the first frame to the second frame in a telescoping, interfitting relationship, providing a plurality of separators, inserting the plurality of separators into the apertures in said first and second frames such that the separators extend upwardly to support the upright positioning of the dishes.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of providing a plurality of separators comprises providing a plurality of generally straight removable separators.
 17. The method of claim 15 wherein the steps of providing a first and second frame each having a plurality of apertures comprises providing first and second frames having spaced apart apertures aligned in pairs or singly.
 18. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of providing a plurality of separators comprises providing a plurality of inverted U-shaped wire or plastic separators.
 19. The method of claim 15 wherein the steps of providing first and second frames comprises providing frames.
 20. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one removable rod is attached to a floor and to which a silverware basket may be hung. 